Back To Top Skip to main content
Home

Call Us

  • About Us
    • Our Attorneys
    • Contingency-Fee Litigation
    • Verdicts and Settlements
    • Client Testimonials
    • Our Offices
  • Practice Areas
    • Practice Areas
    • Breach of Contract Litigation
    • Business Tort Litigation
    • Construction Litigation
    • Defamation Litigation
    • Eminent Domain Attorneys
    • Employment Litigation
    • Intellectual Property Litigation
    • Professional Malpractice
      • Accountant Malpractice
      • Legal Malpractice
    • Real Estate Litigation
    • Securities And Stockbroker Fraud
    • Shareholder & Partnership Litigation
    • Trust & Estate Litigation
    • Unpaid Commissions and Compensation
  • Attorney Referrals
    • Referral FAQs
    • Send a Referral
    • View Our Brochure
  • News
  • FAQs
  • Contact Us
  • Locations
  • Practice Areas
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
© 2023 Business Trial Group

515 North Flagler Drive., Suite 2125, West Palm Beach, Florida 33401

877 667 4265 Call us 24/7
LegalMalpractice2_Blog_648x432

What Can You Do if You Are Not Paid the Full Amount of Your Contract?

General
October 21, 2016

Unfortunately, an all too common issue for contractors is what to do if they are not paid the full amount they are owed for their work—even when the contract was properly and fully performed.

On the surface, reneging on promises would appear to be bad business, not only from a conscientious standpoint, but also because burning bridges can make it difficult to conduct future business.

Businesspeople may renege on promises simply because they can get away with it.

There’s a simple reason, however, why businesspeople might not pay contractors in full: they can get away with it, since it will cost the contractors more to sue than it will to just take the loss.

This strategy relies on the premise that the contractor will need to pay an attorney hundreds of dollars an hour to attempt to recover the money owed, which can quickly make litigation untenable for the average businessperson.

The Business Trial Group offers our clients a solution to this underhanded strategy. We handle cases on a contingency-fee basis, which means our clients don’t pay hourly attorneys’ fees, and pay no fees unless we win.

In addition to not charging hourly fees, the Business Trial Group may, depending on the case, be able to recover our clients’ attorney fees based on contractual provisions or state law. As a consequence, our clients turn the tables on wealthier defendants and can pursue the full amounts they are contractually owed.

Is the prospect of high legal bills is keeping you from litigating a contract dispute? The Business Trial Group can help.

Well-Funded Litigants Can Exploit Contract Law

U.S. law generally requires each party to a lawsuit to pay its own attorney fees. While this rule can encourage more equal access to justice, it can also lead to a situation where a well-funded defendant drags out a case and drives up the legal fees to the point where taking a loss is the better choice for the plaintiff.

For example, if a contractor enters into an agreement to perform painting work at an apartment complex for $250,000 and, upon satisfactorily completing the work, the apartment complex owner refuses to pay, the contractor can file a breach of contract lawsuit to recover the unpaid money.

But if the contractor’s legal fees hit $25,000 – $50,000—which is on the very low end of the cost of prosecuting a business lawsuit—the profit margin on the contract will effectively be wiped out. The lawsuit essentially becomes a no-win situation. As a result, many contractors give up their legal fight, settle their cases for less than they are worth, go bankrupt, or even go out of business.

Knowing this, defendants can offer contractors a lower amount than what is owed and force them to drop the case.

This is an example of how hourly attorneys’ fees create a “Justice Gap” for small business owners that cannot afford the high cost of business litigation.

Contingency-Fee Litigation Levels the Playing Field

Business owners shouldn’t have to choose between not getting paid in full and going broke from legal fees. And they don’t have to when they work with the Business Trial Group.

For our lawyers, contingency-fee litigation creates a powerful incentive to prevail in a case—not to just drag it out and continue billing. For our clients, paying only for results allows them to go up against powerful individuals and organizations that could otherwise use their financial strength as an unfair advantage.

Learn how contingency-fee litigation can help your business during a free case review.

Recent news

Business Trial Group Wins Victory Affirming Widow’s Right to Inherit Husband’s Estate

January 19, 2022

BTG Files Lawsuit on Behalf of Caregiver Alleging Failure to Pay for Years of Around-the-Clock In-Home Care

August 31, 2021

FINRA’s New Rule Limits Brokers From Being Named as Customers’ Beneficiaries

November 16, 2020

Recovery of Investment Losses in Bond Funds Reporting Inflated Returns

November 6, 2020

BTG Represents HOA in Construction Defect Lawsuit Against Lennar Homes

November 4, 2020
 
lexisnexis-logo

Need A Business Litigation Lawyer?

Contact Us

Footer form
Offices in 15 states

Your local office

Backed by the resources of one of the nation’s largest plaintiffs’ law firm, the Business Trial Group handles cases in Florida and throughout the country. Though Morgan & Morgan has nearly 50 offices in 15 states, you do not have to live near one of our locations to benefit from our service.

Click to view

703 Waterford Way, Suite 1050,
Miami, FL 33126

(305) 929-1900
Find nearest office View all offices
877.667.4265
24 hours / 7 days a week. Se habla español.

Business Trial Group

Contigency Free Litigation

  • About Us
  • Our Offices
  • Client Testimonials
  • Contact Us
  • FAQs

Practice Areas

  • Business Tort Litigation
  • Construction Litigation
  • Employment Litigation
  • Intellectual Property Litigation
  • Professional Malpractice
  • Real Estate Litigation

Referrals

  • Attorney Referrals
  • Our Brochure

Legal

  • Disclaimer & Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
© 2023 Business Trial Group

515 North Flagler Drive., Suite 2125, West Palm Beach, Florida 33401

Call Us

Free Case Evaluation

 

Sidebar image block

lexisnexis-logo

Other areas

Breach of Contract Litigation
Business Tort Litigation
Construction Litigation
Defamation Litigation
Employment Litigation
Intellectual Property Litigation
Professional Malpractice
Probate, Trust & Estate Litigation
Securities and Stockbroker Fraud
Unpaid Commissions and Compensation

Why Clients Trust Us

“The Morgan & Morgan Business Trial Group handled my case against a major security company. I was amazed at the amount I received in the lawsuit. Not only was their research for the case very thorough, their concern for me and all those involved with the case was heartwarming and set me at ease.”
- N.D.
“I obtained excellent service, and my attorneys did everything possible to promptly resolve my case. The lawyers who helped me, Benjamin Webster and Arletys Rodriguez, are excellent professionals with infinite human quality.”
- C.F.
“The Morgan & Morgan Business Trial Group helped our family get through a rough time in representing us on a breach of an oral contract. Our group of lawyers, William and Arletys, were highly professional, knowledgeable, caring, reliable, and very compassionate with all of us, especially to our 92-year-old father.”
- de la Paz family
“I want to express my sincere appreciation for representing me in a case against my debtors. Not only were you successful in obtaining an equitable judgment on my behalf, but it was done is such a manner that made it affordable … even for me!”
- B.M.
“I had to reread the documentation to make sure it was not a dream. I cannot thank you enough for handling this to a full-payment settlement. You did a fantastic job in a ridiculous situation.”
- C.S.